***Alison's POV***
I hit the water, calmly breathing. Ish. The fish glanced at me, confused. They sensed I was a daughter of Poseidon, and why would such a strong demigod be so close to San Francisco?
I rolled my eyes-they were practically gaping at me. Then I realized I'd been under the water for a long time; too long. I emerged only to find myself in Seth's warm arms. "Seth... you're really hot," I murmured. I heard the trio-Paul, Quil and Embry-snicker and Seth even manages a smirk. I quickly correct myself, "What I meant,was, your body temperature is really warm." His smirk disappears and the boys quiet. Jacob gasps.
"Aww, are you all worried he has a fever?" I cooed to everybody.
"We were more worried," Seth says. "We thought you were drowning."
I scoffed. "Me, drowning? Right..."
"You were underwater for, like, five minutes." Embry explains.
"Oh, I'm sorry yourtiny little lungs can't function without air for less then five seconds," I smirk. He purses his lips. But a smile plays at the corner of his mouth.
"Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds in each others' arms in the cold water, just don't get too carried away." They paddle to shore, and Seth and I glance at each other. I blush, and we kick away, then dart after them.
"I'm going to get them for that," he growled.
"Race you to the shore?"
"Definitely." I submerged, and urged the water to push me forward. I arrived at the beach in approximately 2.5 seconds, followed by Seth a minute or two later.
"How... do you... swim s-so... fast?" he gasped.
"How do you swim so slow?" I laughed.
He stumbled onto shore and sat next to me, laughing sheepishly. I lean my head his bare shoulder as we lean back against a mossy rock.
I sigh. "What's wrong?" asks Seth.
"I-I just kind of miss my family and friends back in New York. Being in the water reminds me of them. My half-brothers, especially."
The water licks my ankles, as if my father was listening to every word I was saying, and commiserating with me. I smiled slightly.
"What was it like in New York?" he asks.
"Well, it's..." I couldn't exactly say how it was at Camp Half-Blood, training, fighting with Clarisse-occasionally-the rivalry between the cabins during capture the flag, how people are constantly sent on quests to save the world from monsters and Titans, and how specifically the Big Three children are in grave danger usually, and how there were wood nymphs, centaurs and satyrs everywhere... yeah, that wouldn't worry him. "I'll tell you eventually. There's, sort of, a lot to explain in a short amount of time. How's La Push? Before I was here, I mean."
Seth looks hesitant. "Well, it was a bit dramatic with our neighbors just outside of Forks-the Cullens-but I guess... I guess it still is, and it always will be. There's sort of, a rivalry between us and them." Sounds like the Ares cabin and... well, everybody else.
"I want to see the Cullens sometime. I need to know how they annoy you guys so much; you're impossible to irritate." I winked.
He laughs and wraps his arm around my shoulders. As a friend.
We sit silently, listening to the soothing sound of the waves brushing the rocks. A bit later, we get up. "It's getting really late," I say. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."
He smiles. "Yeah." Then he leans in and gives me a three-second long kiss on the lips. Then he disappears. I stand, blinking, on the spot for a moment. Then a small smile spreads across my face and I go back home.